Archive for March 2013

March Favourites

March has been a pretty great month for me. I had my very first photoshoot as a makeup artist (I’ll explain more about that in a post very soon!). I got to go to Center Parcs with my boyfriend Phil’s family which was amazing, and just a week later celebrated Phil’s 21st with him and his family. I went to Cardiff to celebrate the end of term with one of my best friends, and I’ve been enjoying a lovely Easter weekend with my family.

But enough about me, let’s get on with the beauty products:

Partial to Pink Cremesheen Lip Glass by Mac

Partial to Pink Cremesheen Lip Glass by Mac

1 Partial to Pink: This is my favourite lipgloss ever. It has a creamy texture, isn’t at all sticky and the colour suits my lips and complexion perfectly. The sheen it gives my lips isn’t too over the top and it goes with almost any look.

2 Speed Dial lipstick: I don’t often go for bright lipsticks but I think this one really suits me and it cheers up any simple makeup. It’s the perfect spring colour - if corals don’t really suit you, then this is a great alternative!

3 Rapid Dry for Nails: I haven’t painted my nails once without using this this March. Why would I wait longer for my nails to dry when I don’t have to? I genuinely enjoy painting my nails now and I can’t imagine not using this product now. You can read a full review here.

4 Real Techniques Buffer Brush: I got this at the end of last month and since trying it out I don’t think I’ve used another brush for foundation. It’s like a mix between my Mac 109 and Mac 187 (duo fibre brush) giving me nicely spread coverage and an airbrushed finish.

5 Dandelion Blush: I love lighter coloured blushes, and this one has a tiny bit of shimmer which means it really brightens up your complexion. This powder blends into your skin beautifully and I think it’s perfect for spring makeup.

6 Instant Oomph Powder: I’ve been enjoying using this quite a bit to add some volume to my hair before a night out, or even during the day. I’ve had this for a while, but only really got into using it this month. You can read a full review about this here

7 On The Go Hair Serum: My hair has been a little bit unhappy recently, going frizzy and what not. I left this at home so when I came back from uni I used it straight away before blow drying my hair, and it’s sorted me right out. My hair’s definitely saying thank you!

8 Mint Candy Apple: I’m growing a real love for Essie nail polishes. This was my first and is still my favourite. The texture, the brush and the colour are to die for. You can read a little more about it here.

9 Naked Lunch eyeshadow: I love how this shimmery pink shadow looks great by itself and with so many different crease colours. It’s a slightly more natural alternative to All That Glitters and I’ve used it tons this month.

Well that's it from me today peeps. I hope that you're all having a very Happy Easter!

Posted in Compilation, review |

Liebster Blog Award / About Me

So I recently got nominated by Abby from One Dollar Milkshake for the Liebster Award.
This was a pretty nice surprise to cheer up my mundane Tuesday evening :D

Anyway, the point of the Liebster award is that you complete the tag and then pass the torch onto others... here are the rules:

1. Share 11 things about yourself on your blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions that your tagger gave you.
3. Choose 11 fellow blogs to nominate. The nominees must have less than 200 Google Friend Connect Followers and be told via comment on their blog.
4. Think of 11 questions to ask the bloggers that you nominated.
5.Say thank you to the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.

So to any of you crazy kids that get nominated, be prepared... Time for me to get on with the tag.

Eleven things about me

1. I’m a chocaholic (I gave it up for lent and have moaned about it every single day)
2. Once upon a time I refused to wear makeup other than for special occasions
3. I have never dyed my hair. Unless two rounds of highlights count.
4. I have a drama scholarship at uni
5. I play three instruments, although since starting uni haven’t had much time for them :(
6. I once got stuck in a toilet cubicle during one of my physics lessons and had to wait to be rescued
7. My friends used to call me ‘Fatty Two Cakes’ because I’d always buy two cupcakes at break. Greedy, aren’t I?
8. I met my boyfriend on a cruise (ooooooh)
9. When I was little I used to really really want to be a mermaid and even asked Santa to turn me into one for Christmas one year.
10. I am an only child (boo hoo)
11. One of my legs is about an inch longer than the other which sounds quite funny but it’s actually a real pain

ABBY'S QUESTIONS FOR ME

What is/was your favorite subject in school?
I really miss my Philosophy and Ethics A level classes because of the people, teachers and subject matter. I would highly recommend the course! ;)
If you could be any animal, which one would you like to be?
Can I pick human? haha... probably a really cute dog because I reckon they’d have a pretty chilled life getting up to all sorts like cheeky pups do.
Have you ever tried to catch a pigeon?
No, but yesterday one of my flatmates had to - my other flatmate left his window open while he went skiing :/
Do you have any celebrity crushes(If you say Harry Styles I´m going to laugh:D)?
I can’t think of one now, but I used to really fancy William Moseley (Peter from the Narnia movies) when I was quite a bit younger. Turns out that he’s actually one of my best friend’s cousins!
If you get a hamster on Christmas day what would you name it?
I actually find hamsters a bit creepy, but if I had one I’d probably call it Bear.
What´s your biggest goal in life?
This is a kind of embarrassing but as much as I want to have a successful career in the cosmetics industry, my main goal is to have my own little family.
Which one is your favourite Bond movie?
I don’t really watch them to be honest, but I remember watching Quantum of Solace (I think) and kind of enjoying it.
Whats the worst name you ever heard?
I don’t want to be harsh to anyone! I did hear that one person tried to name their child Hashtag though :/
Be honest: Have you ever slipped on a banana peel?
No, I’m afraid not. I have fallen over plenty of times though.
What sound makes your alarm clock?
It’s a really annoying one on my phone, it sounds a bit like an electronic chicken. I don’t know why I haven’t changed it yet.
What´s your best friends name in your cellphone?
I’m pretty boring and have most people saved as their real name on their phone. One of my friends is saved as ‘Irrelevant Pea Brain’ - she was there at the time and we found it funny.

MY QUESTIONS TO MY NOMINEES

1. What did you dream about last night?
2. Would you say that you’re a dog or a cat person?
3. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
4. Tell us about something that you’re looking forward to?
5. If you could choose between a five star hotel in New York and a safari in Africa, which would you pick?
6. What’s your favourite piece of jewellery and why?
7. Do you have a guilty pleasure?
8. Are there any TV shows that you’re hooked on at the moment?
9. Would you rather go out with nice hair and horrible makeup or horrible makeup and nice hair?
10. Who’s the last person you texted?
11. If you could give £10,000 to one person you know, who would it be?

MY NOMINEES

Kitty Hannon
D is for...
Art Style Love
(Scribbles of Valerie)

I know it's only three (strictly speaking I can't nominate Valerie as she has over 200 followers, but I love her blog so the link's there anyway), but I'd rather let you know about a couple of great blogs than loads that are just so-so.

I’m so grateful to Abby for including me in this, it’s genuinely so lovely to see that people are enjoying my blog :)
Can I hear a woop woop?
Calm down now Emily, the post’s over....

Posted in lifestyle |

Hair Emergency? My Go-To Products

Emergency Hair Products: Surf Spray and Leave in Conditioner

If you read my blog then you may have worked out that I’m far more confident doing makeupy things rather than ~~hairy things~~ my hair. Of course I want it to look great, but I’m just so preoccupied with my love of all things makeup that I rarely put much effort in... and to top things off it’s been longer than I’d like to admit since I last had it cut.

Well. As you can imagine, my hair doesn’t always behave and I seem to struggle between two main problems: slightly frizzy ends, and limp, lifeless hair. I am in no way claiming to be a hair expert, but these products really help my hair when it’s being mischievous.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray:
This product can be used on wet or dry hair to give it a beachy look. It’s definitely not for those who like a more polished look but I love the added volume that it gives and I’m a bit of a sucker for a messy do. I try to avoid spraying this on the ends of my hair since I imagine (rightly or wrongly) the matte texture it gives your hair could dry them out a bit. Hmm. I may be causing a bit of a recurring cycle here, but what can a girl do? I’ll spray this round the crown of my head before a night out and scrunch my hair a bit before a night out if I haven’t had time to do my hair properly.

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner:
This product has always been floating about our house for a number of years now but I only started using it religiously a couple of months ago. It’s probably my split ends that have caused my ends to sometimes look a bit frizzy, but in a hair emergency I spray this on my ends and comb it through and that will do me quite nicely for the rest of the day. Not only does this help to tame my tresses, but it also claims to ‘protect your hair from every day wear and tear’. Perhaps if I went for a much-needed trim I would be able to vouch for this claim a little better!

Hopefully by this point you’re not questioning my dedication to the beauty world due to my hair neglect. Sweeping statement: I promise to you, my readers, that I will get my hair cut by the end of my Easter break from uni. Now let’s see if I stick to it...

I would seriously recommend both of these products to anyone, whether you’re more of a hair minimalist like me, or an aspiring hair stylist. The surf spray is a little more expensive at £20.80 for 125ml while the leave-in conditioner is a little more affordable at £4.49 for 250ml.

What are your go-to hair products?

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Posted in Compilation, review |

Instant Oomph Powder: A Quick Rave

V05 Instant Oomph Powder

I have flat hair. I know, it's very sad. Unfortunately for me I know far more about making my face look nice than my head, but I've got to say it does put me in a darn good mood when my hair is looking pretty. I like it most when it has some volume instead of lying flat against my face (which it seems to like to do more often than not).

The first thing that surprised me about this is that it really works! I've tried a few mousses and sprays, but the product that gives me the best instant results has to be this. In this cute pink bottle you get 7g of the powder for £4.09. This may not seem like much bang for your buck but you really really don't need much product per use. Literally a couple of pinches in your roots is enough to give your hair a bit of lift. If you use any more your hair will be left with a horrible matte yet sticky feel that you can only get out by washing it. I found this out the hard way. This means you're never going to to reach Amy Winehouse heights with this product. It is, however, perfect for people like me who have thin looking hair and want to add some subtle "oomph" to their roots. If flat hair is plaguing your beauty routine then you should definitely give this a try.

Have you guys tried this product? Are there any "holy grail" products for flat hair that I should know about?

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Posted in review |

Makeup How To: Super Simple and Fresh Faced

In this post today I want to share with you a how to on a really simple makeup look. Why? Because I think that sometimes we can all benefit from going back to basics. I’ve tried to make this “tutorial” style post as universal as possible - from the makeup savvy to the teenager looking to start wearing makeup for the first time. The products that I’ve used (which are some of my favourites) are also quite nicely split between drug store and higher end.

This look should flatter any skintone or face shape and any of the products I use can be swapped with your own. I’ve kept it really simple and minimalistic so that anyone can follow these instructions and recreate the look.

1 - I started off with Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation all over my face and neck. This is a great drugstore foundation and it’s a new one to my collection. I chose it for the glowy finish it give my skin. I concealed my blemishes and under eyes circles with Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (not photographer) which is a great value, liquidy concealer. You could replace either of these products with your own favourites, but be sure not to use any powder products yet!

2 - Next I put on Lady Blush which is a creme blush by Mac - you could use a powder blush but it will not give the same dewy finish or blend in as well (unless you have used a powder on your face already). Other than the finish, creme blushes are also great if you have dry skin. I also find that you often don’t need as much product as with a powder blush, although this will vary from brand to brand.

(At this point if you want to fill in your brows or use any eye primers then go ahead. I will do a separate post on this at some point)

3, 4 &5 - Now onto the eyes. All I did to prime them was add some powder (skin tone or translucent will work) to my lids, then went straight ahead and added the colour Naked Lunch by Mac which is a slightly shimmery goldish pink. It gives a fresh, pretty look to the eye, although of course feel free to use your go to colour if you prefer. I followed this up with a little Teddy Eye Kohl by Mac to define the outer third of my lower lash line. You could use another brown with a little sparkle to keep the look nice and soft, or if you’re a little darker then you may prefer to use a black. If, like me, you decide not to line your top lash line (this takes a little more skill and practice) then don’t over do it, and be sure to follow up with a couple of coats of your favourite mascara afterwards. I used Benefit They’re Real, but don’t forget to curl your lashes first!

6 - Finally, I added some sheer, pink lip gloss. This shade is Partial to Pink by Mac. I love this gloss not only because of the smooth texture but also the way the colour really lifts my complexion. I'd recommend using something like this in a shade that you love, or something with more peachy tones if you're olive skinned. I think this really pulls together the look.

Although this really is a super simple look I hope that you guys enjoyed it. Next time I may try showing you guys something a little more complex, but I’m still working out my “blogging station” at my parent’s house. Hopefully I can do some more of these posts in a slightly more imaginative way, but just bear with me while I sort myself out!

What do you think of the look? Any tips/requests for these types of posts in the future?

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Posted in how to, Tips |

Minute Manicure - Rapid Dry for Nails Review

Today ladies and gents it’s a quick’un but a good’un. No, literally. It’s Rapid Dry for Nails from elegant touch (which you can purchase here).

Copyright of Pretty Please Blog

I picked this up a couple of weeks from Boots because it came free with another elegant touch product that I was buying at the time. And what a pleasant surprise it was...
Normally I see doing my nails as a bit of a chore. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when they’re done but the process of getting there is so lengthy... you have to wait what seems like a life time for one coat to dry before applying the next, while in the mean time your hands are rendered useless because you’re in danger of ruining your perfectly pampered nails. And don’t even get me started on base and top coats!

Well if you’re anything like me then you need this in you nail care collection! Just like the instructions say, you spritz this onto freshly painted nails and within 60 seconds VOILA! It doesn’t seem to affect the surface texture of your nails in any way whatsoever and in the month that I’ve had it it’s worked really well with every polish that I’ve used! Gone are the days of dread at the words ‘nail art’ - I can now attempt something a little more complex in a matter of minutes rather than hours :D

In all seriousness, this is one of those products that I can no longer imagine being without. If you enjoy doing your nails this will make your life so so much easier!

Has anybody else tried this or any similar products? What do you think?

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Posted in review |

Pretty Spring Things

So, it’s Spring. Honest. It's popped it's head out a couple of times this month, but as per usual Mr. Rain is putting up a good ol’ fight. Well let’s not let him win! Here are some of the products that never fail to put a spring in my step (see what I did there?) even if we do have the weather working against us.

Pretty Spring Things - Pretty Please Blog

♥ PANDAMONIUM PINK by OPI - This is a pastel pinky purple that’s really versatile. It’s great as a base colour as it goes well with SO many colours, or just a couple of coats and it looks lovely on its own. I haven’t seen many other people raving about this one, but it’s a lovely alternative to your run of the mill pink. Unfortunately this was limited edition, but you can buy a similar shade here.

♥ MINT CANDY APPLE by Essie - This colour on the other hand has certainly been raved about enough in blog world, so I’ll keep it short. It really is the perfect mix of blue and green and it even suits my super pale skin - I could wear this exclusively from March to August and still love it. I’d say one to two coats of this and you’re good to go.

♥ SPEED DIAL by Mac - I got this last Spring and to be honest, looking back I haven’t worn it that many times. Don’t ask me why though, this bright pink is the perfect way to spruce up your every day makeup when it’s sunny out, or even if it’s not. Layer it up for a bright Katy Perry lip or keep it at a light application for a lovely, rosy pink with a slightly blue undertone. This is a cremesheen texture so it’s not at all drying on your lips, what more could you ask for?

♥ DAISY by Marc Jacobs - This perfume was literally made for light, springy days - just look at the bottle! No sun? No problem. A spritz of this light, floral fragrance and you’ll have birds and butterflies flocking towards you like you’re Snow White.*

*I can’t actually promise this will happen.

So there you have it. Four lovely little products to see you into Spring ~~if we ever get there~~.

Do you have any products that get you in the mood for Spring? What are they?

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Posted in Compilation, review |

Scrummy Shades from Stila : My Lip Glaze Review

Hello there bloggy chums!

I am well aware of the fact that I have been very naughty and neglected my poor little blog over the past few weeks, but believe me, if it were up to me I would be posting far more frequently! As my term at university draws to a close I wanted to give you a nice, big, juicy post to keep you going until I return home and can start snapping some more pics for you guys with... (if I'm good)... my Dad's SLR camera :D

Anyway, shut up Emily. Let's get on with today's post :)

Pretty Spring Things - Pretty Please Blog

Swatches in natural daylight (Left: Sugar Plum, Right: Black Cherry)
Sugar Plum on my lips

As you may have guessed by now, today I am going to be doing a review of my All is Bright Lip Glaze set for you. I've had these little fellas since Christmas time, they were my first Stila lip glazes (I know... where have I been for the last however many years?), this set is currently on sale on the Stila website for £12.95 (normally a single lip glaze is £15 so hurry, and the set includes 8 shades so hurry!). If you're reading this after the offer has ended, don't worry, I have decided to focus on the two shades that are available to you lovely lot year round, and at £15 each, I think two would do you just fine :)

I was pretty darn excited when I got these. These gave me the opportunity to live on the wild side and try loads of shades from glossy reds to shimmery peaches. The two shades that are available year round are called 'Sugar Plum 18' and 'Black Cherry 27' which are, in my opinion, the two most wearable and universal shades in the collection. I think that they would look good on most skin tones (perhaps give Sugar Plum a miss if you're super dark). Black Cherry was the shade that I tried out first - it's a deep berry tone, it's buildable with some purple undertones, so perfect if you're looking for something vampy, but a more sheer application will also leave you with gorgeous berry lips that would suit an everyday makeup for work or school. Sugar Plum is a more neutral tone with a tiny amount of shimmer through it. It's got a slight bit of orange through it, but not enough to be classified as a peach, so I think it would be the perfect shade for a natural, everyday makeup.

The product itself is different to a lot of lipglosses I've tried before. I don't find them sticky, and if I'm wearing a sheer layer then I barely notice that I have it on at all. If you have a super fussy boyfriend like I do though, then I would suggest wiping it off before you give them a kiss. What really sets these apart from other lipglosses that I've tried is their pigmentation and staying power - they are not at all heavy and go on just like a normal gloss, yet even from a couple of swipes (please see swatches) they transfer a gorgeous shade onto your lips that will stay in place for hours.
Admittedly, I'm not a lip perfectionist but I would probably only find myself topping this up a couple of times a day and after meals. The applicator is one of those brushes that you twist the end of to make the product come out. I know that some people really don't like brush applicators, but the plus side is that they do give a pretty precise application (provided that all of the bristles are in place).

My verdict? If you're in search of a great lipgloss, then these would be perfect. And at £12.95 for the set, who can say no? These bright shades are sure to do you year round despite their festive packaging :)

What do you think about Stila lip glazes? Have you got any favourite lip products you can recommend me?

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P.S. In case you haven't heard, apparently soon Google Friend Connect will be no more so please follow me through Blog Lovin'! It would really mean a lot to me :)

Posted in review |

NYX Swatches!!!

Well what do you know? Silly old me... I did have some swatches of the eyeshadows in the NYx “butt” naked eye palette.

Swatches in natural daylight.

Unfortunately none of the colours seem to have names so I put in a picture of the eyeshadows underneath so you can try to match them up. If there's a colour in particular you want to ask about, feel free to send me a message or ask in the comments!

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again... if you’re in the process of building up your makeup collection and want some pretty yet affordable eyeshadows, these are perfect!

Over and out

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Posted in Sneaky Peek |

NYX Butt "Naked" Eyes Palette

Hello there! I’ve been very naughty and have slacked off of my blogging duties for too long... I was in fact very poorly last week and have been trying to get back up to speed with my uni work before I did any more blog posts.

But enough of that, here I am! And with a blog post that is long overdue.

FINALLY I get to tell you all about my NYX butt “naked” eyes palette. Like a lot of the products I seem to be writing about lately, this was a present. And although I’ve only had this since Christmas, as you can see it is already well loved. The palette includes fifteen eyeshadows, four blushes, a bronzer and two highlighters. Not too shabby for £25, dontcha think?

♥ Eyes
All of the eyeshadows are about the size of a £2 coin (that’s quite big if you don’t work in sterling!). All of the colours are fairly neutral and come in a variety of finishes from high shimmer to fairly matte. The shades also vary from highlight colours, to colours that look great when worn in the crease to create definition. One of my most used colours is the flesh toned colour which is a great base to cancel out any redness on your lids, as it has a lovely creamy type texture (not literally, but it’s very soft and blendable). The other colour in the palette I find myself using a lot is the matte black as it’s great for setting eyeliner, or using to create the illusion of thicker lashes when you can’t be bothered with liner. This happens quite often with me as I am pretty lazy. As for quality these are pretty darn good, the pigmentation and blendability (it’s a technical term... ;) ) is really very good.

♥ Face
Did I mention that this compartment slides out from underneath the eyeshadows? Pretty nifty, eh? My favourite thing to use from this compartment is the light pink blush. Unfortunately nothing in the palette is labelled so I couldn’t tell you the name of it :( It adds a really pretty sheen to the skin, so there’s no need for a highlighter, and is the perfect blue -toned pink for my pale skin. I also tried the goldish pink to the left which I liked, but I think the other two would be better suited to skin tones darker than mine. To be honest I haven’t tried the bronzer, as on my hand it seemed slightly orange and I’m always hesitant to use anything apart from my trusty Hula Bronzer! As for the highlighters, they have a little too much glitter in for my liking, but having said that the pale gold does have a lovely iradescent effect. I'll have to give them a proper try over summer when my skin is a little more tan and more forgiving!

I have to say I didn’t expect to love this palette as much as I do now. I bought another NYX palette a couple of years ago and barely touch it as I found the quality of the products inside didn’t match up to the rest of my collection. If anybody’s interested I’m talking about the Makeup Artist Kit by NYX, but since I love my new palette so much maybe I should give it another chance? 

If you haven't tried NYX before I would put this palette on your list of 'Beauty To Dos'. Tt’s perfect for travel: it's compact and has the basic eyeshadows and blushes you would need for a weekend away. If you’re just starting out with makeup and want some good quality eyeshadows in a variety of finishes and pretty colours, then this is PERFECT! You can make such a variety of looks with all the eyeshadows. Although I don’t think they quite hit the quality of MAC eyeshadows, for the price of this whole palette you would only be able to buy two MAC eyeshadows. That's pretty good value for money, in my opinion!

Have you guys tried out this palette? What did you think? If you have any questions or would like to see any swatches then just ask!

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Posted in review |

PRETTY MAKEUP TIPS

Archive for March 2013

March Favourites

Liebster Blog Award / About Me

Hair Emergency? My Go-To Products

Instant Oomph Powder: A Quick Rave

Makeup How To: Super Simple and Fresh Faced

Minute Manicure - Rapid Dry for Nails Review

Pretty Spring Things

Scrummy Shades from Stila : My Lip Glaze Review

NYX Swatches!!!

NYX Butt "Naked" Eyes Palette

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